This weeks reading dealt with the power of sound within the cinematic world. It’s power comes from it’s ability to engage an audience more strongly through the stimulus of another sense (aural). It creates a rhythmical harmony between image and sound. It was interesting to read that sound has the ability to shape and audience’s understanding of what they are experiencing, but it can also be used to direct an audience’s attention.

We learnt about the different properties of sound such as loudness, pitch and timbre. Loudness and pitch were quite self-explanatory. However, timbre was extremely interesting as it is the property that gives a sound it’s ‘colour’ or ‘quality’.

The reading then introduced how combining and altering sounds can give experimental qualities for effects such as blending and layering vocals to create vibrant voice qualities. However, it was extremely interesting to read about how layering and contrasting sound creates a complete aural ambience for a film. For example, layering sounds such as footsteps over fast chatter and the sound of cars, it creates aural atmosphere. The reading also outlined the use of sound as motif within films such as Jaws, The Wizard of Oz, etc. 

The reading then outlined the different dimensions of sound within film such as, Rhythm, Fidelity, Space and Time. Rhythm refers to the tempo or beat that sound creates within a film, whilst fidelity refers to the faithfulness of a sound to its source e.g. a squawk to a bird. Space, however discusses the use of sound to generate space within a film e.g. footsteps echoing. Lastly, Time outlined how sound can be used to synchronise with what is happening on the screen to generate a sense of completion within a scene.